1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to telecommunications systems and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for evaluating network operation costs in a communications network, such as a packet network, e.g., a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, telecommunications systems provide the ability for two or more people or machines (e.g., computerized or other electronic devices) to communicate with each other. A telecommunications system may include various networks for facilitating communication that may be generally organized into packet networks and circuit-switched networks. An exemplary circuit-switched network includes a plain old telephone system (POTS), such as the publicly switched telephone network (PSTN). Exemplary packet networks include internet protocol (IP) networks, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks, frame-relay networks, and the like. One type of packet network is a voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) network.
VoIP network providers must often meet time-to-market demands and budgetary constraints that necessitate the utilization of manually intensive operational procedures that preclude them from scaling the network in an efficient manner. Thus, network providers may reap certain benefits by implementing a more automated operation mode within the network. However, the transfer to such a support structure may be a costly endeavor to the network provider. Consequently, due to the advantages and disadvantages presented by the automated operation mode, it may be difficult for VoIP network providers to know if they should continue investing in either a manual operation mode or an automated operation mode. Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a method and apparatus for evaluating different network operation mode costs in a communication network.